The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Primary Phase (Dramatised)

A Special Edition of the original radio series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978 and recently voted the Nation's Favourite Audiobook in a Guardian poll. Starring Peter Jones, Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Mark Wing-Davey, Susan Sheridan and Stephen Moore, these six episodes (Fit the First to Fit the Sixth) have been remastered to modern-day standards by Dirk Maggs, and for the first time feature Philip Pope's arrangement of the familiar theme tune.

Dirk Gently: The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul (Dramatised)

Harry Enfield exuberantly returns as Dirk Gently, who, fallen on hard times and dressed as a gypsy woman, is using his irritatingly accurate clairvoyant powers to read palms. He is saved when a frantic client turns up with a ludicrous story about being stalked by a goblin waving a contract accompanied by a hairy, green-eyed, scythe-wielding monster.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Live in Concert

Author Douglas Adams kidnapped an audience and held them hostage for 90 minutes at London's Almeida Theatre. The audience members were subjected to extremely hot August temperatures and Adams's dramatic solo performances of excerpts and scenes from his wildly funny Hitchhiker's Guide Trilogy.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last 15 years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.

The Salmon of Doubt: Hitchhiking the Galaxy One Last Time

Rescued from his beloved Macintosh, The Salmon of Doubt provides us with the opportunity to linger and frolic one last time in the uniquely entertaining and richly informative mind of Douglas Adams. For the millions of readers who expressed their grief and shock at his untimely death, this is a treasure; his final book and our last chance to see new work from an acknowledged comic genius.

Shada: Doctor Who: The Lost Adventure

The Doctor's old friend and fellow Time Lord Professor Chronotis has retired to Cambridge University - where nobody will notice if he lives for centuries. But now he needs help from the Doctor, Romana, and K-9. When he left Gallifrey he took with him a few little souvenirs - most of them are harmless. But one of them is extremely dangerous. The Worshipful and Ancient Law of Gallifrey isn't a book for Time Tots.It must not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands.

Good Omens: The BBC Radio 4 dramatisation

A full-cast BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman’s celebrated apocalyptic comic novel, with bonus length episodes and outtakes. According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch, the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday in fact. Just after Any Answers on Radio 4….Events have been set in motion to bring about the End of Days. The armies of Good and Evil are gathering and making their way towards the sleepy English village of Lower Tadfield.

Star Wars (Dramatized)

This landmark production, perhaps the most ambitious radio project ever attempted, began when Star Wars creator George Lucas donated the story rights to an NPR affiliate. Writer Brian Daley adapted the film's highly visual script to the special demands and unique possibilities of radio, creating a more richly textured tale with greater emphasis on character development.

The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

Kate Schechter would like to know why everyone she meets knows her name - and why Thor, the Norse god of thunder, keeps showing up on her doorstep. Dirk Gently, detective and refrigerator wrestler, can uncover the mystery, and only the absurdist wit of Douglas Adams can recount them with such relentless humor.

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (Dramatized)

Like its predecessors, this electrifying drama boasts a splendid cast (including Anthony Daniels as See-Threepio and Ed Asner as Jabba the Hutt), a greatly expanded script, with many scenes and characters not found in the movie, and audio engineering of unparalleled excellence.

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Dramatized)

Like its predecessor, this electrifying drama boasts an outstanding cast (including Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Anthony Daniels as See Threepio, Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian, and John Lithgow as Yoda); a greatly expanded script, with many scenes not found in the movie; and audio engineering of unparalleled excellence. The Empire Strikes Back takes you once more into a galaxy of pure sound and limitless imagination for an adventure you'll never forget.

The Complete Sherlock Holmes: The Heirloom Collection

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes tales are rightly ranked among the seminal works of mystery and detective fiction. Included in this collection are all four full-length Holmes novels and more than forty short masterpieces - from the inaugural adventure A Study in Scarlet to timeless favorites like “The Speckled Band” and more. At the center of each stands the iconic figure of Holmes - brilliant, eccentric, and capable of amazing feats of deductive reasoning.

Red Dwarf: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers

When Lister got drunk, he really got drunk! After celebrating his birthday with a Monopoly-board pub crawl around London, he came to in a burger bar on one of Saturns moons, wearing a lady's pink crimplene hat and a pair of yellow fishing waders, with no money and a passport in the name of "Emily Berkenstein". Joining the Space Corps seemed a good idea.

Dune

Here is the novel that will be forever considered a triumph of the imagination. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who would become the mysterious man known as Maud'dib. He would avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family and would bring to fruition humankind's most ancient and unattainable dream.

Ruby: Tired of The Green Menace?

This is the very first Ruby story (before even Ruby 1). Ruby Tuesday (that's what she was called) is hired by Colonel Abulah Abdullah of the star cluster, Saudi Asteriodia, to find Cleo, a missing planet. Ruby discovers there's much more behind this mystery when she encounters the villainous Forked Forefinger of Fong. Also includes four Ruby pilot episodes that had never been released before.

My First Planet: The Complete Series 1

The complete first series of My First Planet - a sitcom set on a shiny new planet, starring Nicholas Lyndhurst, Vicki Pepperdine (Jo Brand's Getting On) & Tom Goodman-Hill (Another Case of Milton Jones) The story so far: Unfortunately, Burrows the leader of the colony has died on the voyage, so his Number 2, Brian (Nicholas Lyndhurst), is now in charge. He's a nice enough chap, but no alpha male, and his desire to sort things out with a nice friendly meeting infuriates the colony's Chief Physician, Lillian (Vicki Pepperdine), who'd really rather everyone was walking round in tight colour-coded tunics....

The continuing adventures of Henry Gordon Jago and George Litefoot, characters first introduced on television in Doctor Who: The Talons of Weng-Chiang (1977), who have become Infernal Investigators, solving mysteries involving paranormal or alien phenomena in 1880s London.

The Fourth Tower of Inverness

This classic story is filled with all kinds of teachings, from Ram Dass playing on the Wurlitzer of Wisdoms, to the Tibetan wheel-of-life, to Sufi stories, all woven into a humorous adventure taking place in an old mansion called Inverness. The mansion has three towers, but Jack Flanders has seen a fourth. When he finally enters the tower, he discovers there are various levels, and each level contains another world.

Paterson Joseph stars as the Marquis de Carabas in this brand-new BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Neil Gaiman's spin-off short story, set in the magical world of Neverwhere. Returning us to London Below, this enchanting tale continues the story of one of the most colourful characters from Neverwhere - the cool, charming, resourceful Marquis de Carabas, who trades in favours and always has a plan.

Neverwhere

Richard Mayhew is an unassuming young businessman living in London, with a dull job and a pretty but shrewish fiancée. Then one night he stumbles upon a girl lying on the sidewalk, bleeding. He stops to help her, and his life is changed forever. Soon he finds himself living in a London most people would never have dreamed of: a city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels. It is a world that exists entirely in a subterranean labyrinth of sewer canals and abandoned subway stations.

Yes Minister & Yes Prime Minister - The Complete Audio Collection

Between 1980 and 1988 on BBC television and radio, the exploits of the Rt Hon Jim Hacker MP (Paul Eddington) - later Prime Minister - kept the British nation enthralled. Helped - and hampered - by his diligent Permanent Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby (Nigel Hawthorne) and his Principle Private Secretary Bernard Woolley (Derek Fowlds), Hacker and his department became synonymous with government bureaucracy and administrative double dealing.

Publisher's Summary

A Special Edition of the original radio series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1978 and recently voted the Nation's Favourite Audiobook in a Guardian poll.

Starring Peter Jones, Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Mark Wing-Davey, Susan Sheridan and Stephen Moore, these six episodes (Fit the First to Fit the Sixth) have been remastered to modern-day standards by Dirk Maggs, and for the first time feature Philip Pope's arrangement of the familiar theme tune, with newly recorded announcements by John Marsh.

Also included on this Special Edition is Douglas Adams's Guide to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, first broadcast in 1999, which looks at the genesis and phenomenal success of the series.

In the Primary Phase, one reviewer (Vance) gave the series a very low rating. It seemed odd to me, as I had listened to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th phases with no problems. Yes, I know I'm listening to them backwards, but it doesn't matter, as they are all fun. As I write this, I have not listened to the Primary Phase where Vance gave his review, but I have listened to the Secondary Phase, which also is a remastered version, as opposed to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th phases, which are not.

Here is what I found from the Secondary Phase. I always download the audio book to the iPod side of my iPhone, and I listen a lot while driving. Though I had no problems with the 3rd, 4th, and 5th phases while driving, I had quite a bit of a problem with the Secondary Phase. It seems that some of the voices for some of the time have been mixed at too low of a volume. I'm not sure if the recording engineer mixed the stereo pan too far left or right, but here's what happened. While driving in the car, a voice would drop so low in volume that I had to turn up the radio dial volume (I have my iPhone connected to the car's stereo system)...then the volume on the next voice would come booming through, and I had to quickly turn the volume back down. After about 15 minutes of playing with the volume, I gave up on listening to it in the car. Eventually I finished it, but I did so with my iPhone ear phones stuck in my ears while on my walks. There was still a problem with the volume swing of the voices, but not to the extent that I had while listening in the car. Again...no such problem with the 3rd, 4th, and 5th phases.

One fun thing about the Secondary Phase is that is provides us with an audio interview of author Douglas Adams. I found it very enjoyable. It is a shame that he died so very young. I think the interview is worth the purchase of the audio alone. If you feel you can deal with the volume swings, then make the purchase, as the story and the acting are both great.

Here it is! The continuation of the adventures of Arthur Dent, Ford Prefect and the rest of the Hitchhiker characters! The next 6 episodes take up where the first phase left off and take you in a completely new direction from the books, TV series or the movie. Some things will be familiar, but, others are completely new. Whether you're a long-time Hitchhiker fan or new to the series, you won't want to miss this unique production from Douglas Adams and the BBC. Get it now! Don't wait! Add it to your cart right now before you forget it! Then, sit back, listen, and, again, most of all, Don't Panic!

This is just as crazy as the first series, but not quite as well done or filled out. It doesn't move as well. Having said that it is still a bit of fun well worth listening to, especially as it it is performed by a top notch cast.

This collects the second 6 episodes of the 12 found on the US cassette edition of the radio show. There is also an interview with the cast that continues form the interview collected in the primary phase. Lots of fun.

just like the title the story is great, the last chapter author interview is as enjoyable as dental surgery. Adams when not writing fiction, or doing last chance to see is not worth listening to.at least this volume he has not arrogant , ignorant and insulting to other folks like Roddenberry as he was in the extra chapter in primary phase

otherwise the other chapters are wonderful zany and enjoyable satire as we come to expect from the hitchhikers guide saga.

This is the funniest unit of text and dialogue in the history of text and/or dialogue. If there is indeed a god, this is his sense of humour reflected back at him/her to prove what a complete dingoe's kidney the act of creation has proven to be. No-one is spared: scientists, the media, philosophers, all are lampooned.

What did you like best about this story?

The sheer level of creativity is awesome, or monumental. It makes Machu Pichu look like a Play-dough project. Shakespeare may be more tragic, but never funnier - or indeed, more profound in the way human vanity is so mercilessly exposed and observed. Adams may not use a cold light, but it's terriby BRIGHT.

Which character – as performed by the narrators – was your favourite?

While all the characters have great style and wonderful lines, there is an element of being there just to say the funny things. Having said that, the competitive banter between Arthur and Zaphod is credibly acerbic. Similarly, the way Ford swaps alliances between these two is also effectively unfair. Marvin deserves a seperate chapter of comment. However, the most endearing voice is that of Peter Jones as the book, whose style is that of a research professor presenting the facts with deliberate precision and not a hint of irony. This makes for historic comedy, while making you wonder if what he is describing actually exists or has happened somewhere out there in the time/space continuum!

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed while it was on. I cried when it finished. Then I put it on again, and started laughing again. Until it stopped again. I think you get the picture.

Any additional comments?

Indespensibly invaluable, and beyond the scope of any superlative in any human language. Ask your god(s) for more appropriate perspicacity. I rest my case for the acquisition.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Anita Fronczak

Warsaw, Poland

6/4/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Beautiful, very British "

I love the accent, the British sense of humour. Interview at the end seems to be about nothing in particular, yet I could listen to those trained voices again and again.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

john

5/27/15

Overall

Performance

Story

""who is this God bloke, anyway?""

If you haven't listened to THGTTG yet then I envy you. I remember my first time listening to this and finding it the most crazy and amazing story I've ever heard and the further you go into it the crazier it gets. Get in there

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Odd to hint

2/3/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"The hitchhikers guide. It is a classic"

This is what started it all. It is fantastic funny and alternative view on the universe. It is full of quotable lines that stay with you day after day.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Jordan

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

4/13/13

Overall

"Brilliant"

The second installment of Douglas Adams' absolutely brilliant sci-fi comedy. An eternal classic everyone should listen to, ideally after listening to the first one! The humour is bizarre and the narrative can be loopy, but that's the style of it. Stick with it and it'll grow on you.

The show is excellently produced, well-acted and of the highest quality.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Andrew

BristolUnited Kingdom

1/7/10

Overall

"First time"

The hitch hikers guild to the galaxy, this is a classic audio book, having ownd (and still do) the origional cassetts of the broadcast by the bbc, it has kept it's conversion with no loss of quality, but bringing it to the next portable media, If you to have a odd out look on life, and to wonder if there is any meaning to life, the universe & Everything, then this book will take you on an epic adventure though space and time, and have you back in time to enjoy a pangalactic gargleblaster (rehab centers are avalible) so sit back and takle a trip on the heart of gold

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Amazon Customer

11/7/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Classic"

Just a great retelling of the Hitchhiker series - subtly different from the books (which, of course, came later). My only sadness is that the quality of the recordings is poor - like listening to R4 on 1500m LW, I guess...

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Amazon Customer

12/2/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great series but sound quality is disappointing"

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

This is a classic radio production from the BBC, and it is great to have the chance to hear it again. But the sound quality of this edition is terrible. It's mono, slightly distorted and has been unsympathetically transcoded. A shame.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Sally

Abingdon, United Kingdom

4/13/13

Overall

"Entertainment at it's best"

Many years ago I listened to this on the radio, it is still as amazing as ever, every time I listen I can hear new things in it. Soo worth getting for lovers of science fiction/comedy. A classic that still lives.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Fitzy

OSWESTRY, United Kingdom

4/13/13

Overall

"A great return for a Fantastic story"

I love HHGTTG and this second instalment continues where the first left off. I'm sure that any one who remembers HH will know how good it is not quite as amazing as the first but still worth every penny, from the iconic intro music to Zaphod and Ford and Arthur and not forgetting everyone's favourite paranoid android Marvin.

A well worth addition to any sci-fi geeks compendulum of audio books.

This story will keep you entertained for hours.. if not days! well worth the money.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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